Listen Up - Social Welfare Portal

listenup!90 | Case Study 1iv. FundingA range of both long and short-term fundingstreams support SNSU, resulting in a complexand insecure financial environment. Currently,the Foyer is discussing solutions to the problemof securing mainstream health funding, includinglinking its work more closely with health andhomelessness agendas.How the project addresses gaps in localservice provisionAberdeen Foyer supports people experiencingmultiple and complex needs. Young people witha dual diagnosis generally do not ‘fit neatly’ intoexternal services and are therefore at risk of fallingthrough gaps in provision. This can be exacerbatedby the requirement of some services that the youngperson address their drug and/or alcohol issuesbefore they can be offered help with mental healthproblems. Aberdeen Foyer does not have such rigidcriteria for accessing its services and takes a moreholistic, needs-led approach. This approach hasenabled the Foyer to gain funding from the ScottishExecutive’s Multiple and Complex Needs fundingstream to support this group of young people ina project called ‘Positively Sorted’ which looks atbuilding skills in optimism.Barriers and constraints which impedeeffective provisionThe statutory sector is increasingly recognising therole of the voluntary sector in providing holistic carefor young people. However, despite this, SNSU isstill experiencing short-term funding problems; forexample, current core funding runs from 2006 to2008 only.The project also has to rely on multiple funders, andthis can be very challenging as each funder stipulatesdifferent criteria and requires different evaluationstructures and reporting mechanisms.ContactsSorted Not Screwed UpAberdeen Foyer, Marywell CentreMarywell StreetAberdeen, AB11 6JFTelephone: 01224 212924Website: www.aberdeenfoyer.com